I've Never Owned a Baitcaster, What am I missing?

[Gabriel]

So my whole life I have fished with a spinning reel (my last spincast was when I was 10). I am very comfortable with a spinning reel and I like to think I am pretty damn accurate too. Unless I am fishing walleye from shore I really never think to I need to cast longer, depending on my rig I can do 70yd casts fairly easily. What real advantages are there over a spinning reel other than line twist issues. I can't really say I have even used one even. I would like to own one, been looking at a Daiwa Exceller just to get a feel for it.

Let me explain why at the young age of 21 I have used spinning reals for 11 years.

I live in northern Minnesota and honestly baitcasters around here are very limited. Mostly conventional trolling reels, and just a few low profile reels. Gander mountain only carries 4 or five different low profile casters and about 50 different spinning reels. There just isn't any interest in them here for the most part. All the tackle shops in town are like this. I have seen a small interest in baitcast in different areas near here but it's not the same.

The reason for this might just be cost, the average tourist isn't going to drop $300 bucks on a nice fishing combo. Right now I can't afford that kind of set up either. Northern MN for the most part is fairly cheap place to live. In general most people don't make a ton of money either.

[Nytron]

Every gander that I've been to in MN has plenty of baitcasters, including high end ones like the Core, Chronarch, calcuttas, etc. I have not seen a gander with high end Daiwa however.

Basically, baitcasters allow you to have more control over your bait presentation and the process of fighting a hooked fish. Hooked a muskie and it's heading towards your anchor rope? No problem, thumb the drag tight if you have heavy braid. When fighting a fish, with a baitcaster you can adjust the drag on the fly without changing your grip, this is impossible on a spinning reel. When you are fishing docks and trees, pitching with a baitcaster is far more accurate. If you overcast, lightly thumbing the spool will slow your lure down and turn an overcast into a perfect cast. With a spinning reel, you cannot make that split second adjustment even if you know how to feather the spool.

Oh yeah, baitcaster allows greater casting distances. The spool direction of a baitcaster negates line twist. Baitcasters handle a wider variety of lines, spinning reels flat out suck with line over 12lb test due to line twist (unless it is braid).

Some applications I think spinning reels a best suited for: ice fishing, drop shotting, pitch-skipping, light braid applications.

[North Branch]

Well, think of a baitcaster as a direct drive winch. Everything is aligned horizontally versus the vertical alignment of a spinning reel. It simply gives the baitcaster more "pulling" power so to speak. That makes it advantageous for fishing bigger lures, handling bigger fish, and working heavy cover. Also, because of the way a baitcaster works, it is more suitable to certain fishing techniques... like "flipping". Of course, a spinning rig is better at other techniques... like finesse fishing.

With that said, for the type of fresh water fishing you do, you don't HAVE to have a baitcaster. My buddy lives down in the Key's, and catches Tarpon regularly and only fishes with spinning gear and fly casting gear. However, he does have stout rods, and the best spinning and fly reels you can buy. Up in your neck of the woods, if you went after Muskie's and Northern's frequently, I think you would probably see the advantages of a baitcaster. But, again, if you are mainly fishing for Walleye, or SM or LM bass, and don't fish big lures, or don't fish heavy cover, you can certainly get by with spinning gear and not miss out on anything.

As far as the line twist goes, on a properly spooled spinning reel, used correctly, the line twist of a spinning reel can be negated to the point of non-issue, and is probably less frustrating than the birds-nest that sometimes occur with baitcasters. In my mind it's a trade off with either, and probably a slight advantage to the spinning reels on this one... at least for me.

If it were me, I would get a decent bait casting outfit and learn how to use it. You may not need it that often... but you may find that it makes you a more "complete" fisherman... if that is your ultimate goal.

[smalljaw]

When I first started using baitcasting reels there wasn't much too them and they didn't have all the different brake settings on them so it was tough but I practiced. At first I couldn't understand why the best anglers were using them, I thought the spinning was easier but that changed after a couple of weeks as I began to use more variety of lures. For the most part I was using the standard fair of plastic worms on light texas rigs, tube jigs and small crankbaits, but once I got a little confidence with the casting reel it opened the box for me. I had spinnerbaits and some bigger crankbaits but rarely used them as they always felt too big for the rod and I had a medium heavy set up but the same power casting set up was so different it terms of feel, the bigger lure felt right at home on it and after I began getting some bigger fish on a consistant basis due to the use of larger lures more often, I began to only use the casting reels. I still use both now as I feel you need a spinning reel for finesse techniques and I really like using spinning for finesse, it just feel right so I use both but I prefer casting.

[husonfirst]

I started using a baitcaster when I got back into fishing and for me, the best thing about it is better control on the cast. If I overshoot my target using a spinning reel, I'd usually grab the line near the reel to slow it down. With a baitcaster, it's easy to thumb the spool to slow it down.

I've never really had a problem with line twist on a spinning reel though. As long as I spool it properly, don't overfill the spool, and don't wind while the fish is taking drag, I don't have problems with line twist.

[uljersey]

Casting reels are nice and have their place, but there are many, many, many anglers out there that use spinning for everything and do quite well. One area spinning wins out MOST of the time is small, light baits. There are very few baitcasters made specifically for this, and they tend to be on the pricey side.

One thing to consider in baitcasting is rod choice, as it has just as much impact on your success in casting well as the reel itself.

[Gabriel]

Every gander that I've been to in MN has plenty of baitcasters, including high end ones like the Core, Chronarch, calcuttas, etc. I have not seen a gander with high end Daiwa however.

Basically, baitcasters allow you to have more control over your bait presentation and the process of fighting a hooked fish. Hooked a muskie and it's heading towards your anchor rope? No problem, thumb the drag tight if you have heavy braid. When fighting a fish, with a baitcaster you can adjust the drag on the fly without changing your grip, this is impossible on a spinning reel. When you are fishing docks and trees, pitching with a baitcaster is far more accurate. (unless it is braid).

Thank you for the reply.
As far as the high end shimano's go I haven't seen a baitcaster at my local store over $100. Also the most expensive spinning reel they have is the Stradic Ci4, I talked to a manager and they said they would order me any reel but they don't carry high end reels because by the time they sell them they are out of date.

I get the easy drag control, that sounds really nice. Ever since I switched to braided line I haven't worried about drag quite as much. Large northerns don't fight hardly at all until the last second when they see the boat and freak out and make a run for it.


North Branch:
Thanks for you answers.
I'm not trying to argue but in my area there isn't a lot of musky but people do seem to put a lot of pressure on them. There are lots of musky fishermen but they don't catch a whole lot of anything. Big northerns are push overs and I do fish for them regularly. I don't have the patience for musky I guess.
That being said I do fish a lot of different situtations but I really can't do many of the baitcasting specific techniques. I do really like the reliability of a spinning reel and I don't have issues with line twist at all.


Smalljaw:
Thank you, I do like the idea of bigger fish and using the big lures I have that don't get our much. I often catch very large fish on small lures and I like catching small fish too. I would like to catch very large fish but it seems you catch less over all.


All this being said I will have to pick up a baitcaster this summer. Too bad when my grandpa died someone made off with 6 Daiwa Millionaire's that had some very nice trolling rods attached.

[Snyder Rods]

Generally, baitcasters are quicker and more accurate, especially for pitching - watch the bass pros on TV - with a flick of the wrist, they can knock a gnat off a lily pad without making a ripple.

But they have their problems - biggest problem is bird nests. Even the pros get them, they are unavoidable. And the overruns can ruin mono or fluoro line - the kinks weaken the line to the point that lures will break on the cast sometimes.

Spinning is easier - but has it's own problems - line twist, for one.

For a tournament I would have both baitcasters and spinners on the boat - but for recreational fishing, spinning is easier and more fun.

You are not missing anything - both baitcasting and spinning have their own strengths and weaknesses. Neither one is perfect.

[smalljaw]

Gabriel, spend enough time on the water and eventually you will catch a nice size fish. What baitcasting reels did for me was make throwing lures like 3/8oz and 1/2oz spinnerbaits much easier, and of course when you use those types of lures you will catch fish of all sizes but you'll also get a lot more "keeper" fish. I do think the most important part is enjoyment, it doesn't matter what equipment you use as long as it is fun and it works, thats really what it comes down to. For myself, once I learned the baitcaster, it made fishing even more enjotable as I said, I now was having fun throwing bigger lures because I now have more control, something I didn't think was possible when I first picked up a casting reel. The other thing I will say is if you want to try a casting reel, don't go cheap, a lot of beginners do this thinking if they don't like it they won't be out much money, and while that is true, it also makes the learning curve that much longer and it could lead to much more frustration to the point you may just give up before you really get a handle on it. You don't need to spend 300 dollars either but I would say is get a reel in the brand you prefer that is anywhere from $120 on up, at that price is were you get aluminum frames, better braking systems and overall smoother operation that will make for a shorter learning curve and a more enjoyable experience in the end.

[North Branch]

North Branch:
Thanks for you answers.
I'm not trying to argue but in my area there isn't a lot of musky but people do seem to put a lot of pressure on them. There are lots of musky fishermen but they don't catch a whole lot of anything. Big northerns are push overs and I do fish for them regularly. I don't have the patience for musky I guess.
That being said I do fish a lot of different situtations but I really can't do many of the baitcasting specific techniques. I do really like the reliability of a spinning reel and I don't have issues with line twist at all.

Gabriel,

No problem, and I hear ya. If you don't run into enough situations that justify a baitcasting outfit... by all means, stick with your spinning gear. I myself use spinning gear about 95% of the time.

In the end, 99.999999 % of us are simply out there fishing for the sport, fun, relaxation, and companionship. If we are enjoying what we are doing, with the equipment we like to use... why change.

[VRG]

So my whole life I have fished with a spinning reel (my last spincast was when I was 10). I am very comfortable with a spinning reel and I like to think I am pretty damn accurate too. Unless I am fishing walleye from shore I really never think to I need to cast longer, depending on my rig I can do 70yd casts fairly easily. What real advantages are there over a spinning reel other than line twist issues. I can't really say I have even used one even. I would like to own one, been looking at a Daiwa Exceller just to get a feel for it....

Gabriel ... check for yourself with an actual measuring tape or other method ... my guess is that you're casting closer to 70 feet than 70 yards. 210 feet is the realm of heavy-duty surf casting and has little if any application in the type of fresh water fishing you're talking about. Not trying to bust your chops but just injecting some reality.

But to the main point of things you may be missing by not using any bait casting ... others have covered most everything except this point: if you can manage to cast and wind with the opposite hands, you'll be able to switch up and rest your wrist and whatever else may get sore after a few hours of hard fishing. Personally, with spinning tackle, I cast with right hand and wind with left. I do the opposite with bait casting. Switching up helps alot toward the end of a long day.

Bottom line, if you have interest in bait casting, I would encourage you to give it a try!

[Gabriel]

Gabriel ... check for yourself with an actual measuring tape or other method ... my guess is that you're casting closer to 70 feet than 70 yards. 210 feet is the realm of heavy-duty surf casting and has little if any application in the type of fresh water fishing you're talking about. Not trying to bust your chops but just injecting some reality.

But to the main point of things you may be missing by not using any bait casting ... others have covered most everything except this point: if you can manage to cast and wind with the opposite hands, you'll be able to switch up and rest your wrist and whatever else may get sore after a few hours of hard fishing. Personally, with spinning tackle, I cast with right hand and wind with left. I do the opposite with bait casting. Switching up helps alot toward the end of a long day.

Bottom line, if you have interest in bait casting, I would encourage you to give it a try!

I did mean 70ft. I was going to write something in yards but changed my mind lol. I think I could to 50 yards a heavy spinnerbait and 8lb braid, but I think it would end in a snapped line pretty quick. Idk, I cast farther than my friends do... Some time I will go to the football field and find out lol.

Anyways. I do cast left handed and I reel with my right. I am right handed but I used spin casts before I was ten and just kept reeling with my right hand after I switched to spinning reels. I was planning on using a right handed casting reel so fatigue is gonna happen. Somethimes I do get sore.

Lots of people here seem to use baitcasters and I want to be cool too. I was thinking a Curado or an Okuma Citrix or a Daiwa Aggrest with an Falcon USA pitching rod. This is down the road. I am pretty strapped for cash at the moment.

[Gabriel]

No problem, and I hear ya. If you don't run into enough situations that justify a baitcasting outfit... by all means, stick with your spinning gear. I myself use spinning gear about 95% of the time.

In the end, 99.999999 % of us are simply out there fishing for the sport, fun, relaxation, and companionship. If we are enjoying what we are doing, with the equipment we like to use... why change.

I think I will end up buying a baitcaster this year just to see what it's like.

I just fish for fun and to hang out with my fishing buddy. I only kept 4 fish last year and 3 of them were fatally injured from swallowing a hook and a long fight. The forth was a unlucky Walleye that looked REALLY tasty, I forgot to bring a lunch I like eating fish but if I kept half of the ones I caught I just don't think it would be fair to everyone else. I also fish lots of restricted lakes that do not allow you to keep Northern, Musky, or Large Mouth. I love those lakes for fishing. /rant

[Seph]

I will use Ridley Scott's Kingdom of Heaven to answer your question...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=euvnlw7BSFQ

except when Orlando Bloom says 'What is Jerusalem Worth?' pretend he says 'I've never owned a baitcaster, What am I missing?'


=P

[tracker01]

I am a big spinning reel gut. They are just fun. If I loose a fish that's ok, I just throw back in and look for another one. If you need a guide as to what to use where and when, I would start with this:

Spinning reels have a line rating on their spools, rods have a line rating, and lure size on them. Pick out the lure you want to through and match it with the rod spec's and reel line rating to match the lure. My rule of thumb is anything 1/4 oz or less, spinning, more than that I go to my baitcaster. It works for me.